---
name: upscale-closeup
description: "Upscale a face close-up or portrait (big face in frame). A small 1K close-up (~700 px) → Magnific Ultra Sublime 4× Portraits; a bigger frame (~1200 px+) → Ultra Sublime 2× Grainy Analog; optional Skin Enhancer Creative. Part of the upscale meta-skill."
---

These creative references describe source experiments with external tools. Use your own supported account and tools; this download installs no automation. Settings and timings are experimental observations, not current FlashBoards availability.

# upscale-closeup · a face close-up or portrait

Big face in frame (eyes wider than ~150 px). For small faces use `upscale-fullbody`.

## Choose

| Priority | Tool · settings | Time | Result |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 🏆 **the best, small 1K close-up (~700 px)** | Magnific Upscaler · `mode=ultra-sublime`, `scale=4x`, `precisionPreset=portraits` | 18–34 s | 682×768 → 2728×3072 · pores, lashes, freckles; face unchanged (tested on a demo character sheet (Mara): s7z7eN7l8e; repeat mElqgGkhJQ — same face, finer texture differs) |
| 🏆 **the best, bigger frame (~1200 px+)** | Magnific Upscaler · `mode=ultra-sublime`, `scale=2x`, `precisionPreset=grainyAnalog` (sharpness 5, grain 12) | ~40–70 s | 2× · natural photographic skin, film grain; source experiment pick on the sheet (cpuMhPy0eP) |
| 🏆 focus on skin | then `skin-enhance` · Skin Enhancer `version=creative` | ~76 s | stronger pores and freckles on a big face |
| ~1200 px frame, size required | `ultra-sublime`, `scale=4x` | 28–46 s | **looks worse than 2×** on a 1200 px input (source check) |
|  faithful 2× | Magnific Upscaler · `mode=creative`, `scale=2x`, `presets=subtle` | ~48 s | faithful, a little softer |

## Steps

1. Check the face is right (eye colour, distinctive marks such as a scar, features) — the upscale keeps every mistake.
2. Upload the source image through your own supported Magnific account/tool.
3. Select the exact upscale settings above, start the job, wait for completion and download the result.
4. Compare at 100 %: face unchanged, skin not plastic, no invented moles.
5. For the best still, run the same settings 2–3 times and pick: the face repeats, the finest texture varies.

## Never

- `mode=creative` with `presets=vivid` or `wild` — they redraw eyes and nose, swap freckles for moles.
- GPT Image 2.5 at 4K on a close-up — paints brows as brush strokes.
- A plain resize (bicubic) — adds pixels, not detail.
- Blurring the input first — Ultra Sublime keeps the blur (tested at 1.5 px and 3 px).